Today, December 3, is International Day of People with Disability 🧡
This day acknowledges our community and celebrates our clients’ achievements along their journey of living with a disability.
At Brain Injury SA, it is our mission to embrace life after brain injury. We strive to empower our clients to work towards their personal goals, assist in addressing barriers and issues of living with disabilities, and ultimately work towards inclusion for all in our community 🧠
An element of living with a disability is the fact that not all disabilities can be seen. This reigns true for people living with a hidden brain injury. All people living with disability are not defined by it – They deserve understanding, compassion, and the opportunity to thrive, regardless of whether their challenges are visible to others.
“I’m ok with the fact I have a brain injury, I’m so much more” – Tammy
Let’s continue to raise awareness for our community and show our support for inclusivity for all!
💬 Tell us what living with a disability means to you or what you would like others to know about living with a disability
Pictured: Northern Hub clients, Tammy and Phil
📣 We are still seeking nominations for our 2024 BISA Customer Service Award!
We have absolutely loved seeing your lovely and positive words in your votes so far 💗
You can vote for someone from our administration team, someone from our advocacy or appeals team, or even one of our therapists.
This is a fantastic opportunity for our staff to be recognised and awarded for providing outstanding customer service to you 🌟
Be sure to get your vote in soon! Voting closes on Friday 13 December
Vote Now → Link in bio
📣🌟 This is a final call to RSVP to our Client Christmas Party!
Join us for our annual end-of-year celebration and enjoy afternoon tea with friends! 🎄
All attendees will receive a goody bag and have the chance to enter our FREE door raffle! 🎁
WHEN: Tuesday 10 December from 1.30pm to 3.30pm
WHERE: Fullarton Road Community Centre – 411 Fullarton Road, Fullarton SA 5063
🚗 There is plenty of parking available at this central location, which is just 5 minutes out from the city!
RSVPs close TOMORROW! We would love to see you there!
📩 RSVP to tell us you’re coming along → Link in bio
👋 Meet Sophie, Sophie is BISA’s new Peer Support Program Manager!
Sophie has lived experience as a person with a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Post Concussion Syndrome. She was cycling to work in 2020 when she was hit by a car who failed to give way.
Sophie was initially a BISA participant of the Reconnect Transition Program in 2022, and then went on to become a Peer Mentor in 2023 and 2024. Sophie is now Manager of the Peer Mentor Program and is responsible for onboarding Peer Mentors from the Brain Injury Community to provide mentorship to participants in need.
This program provides valuable paid employment opportunities for Peer Mentors as well as skill development for future employment opportunities. Sophie is responsible for training and educating the Peer Mentors as well as collecting and analysing data from the program to constantly improve its outcomes. She is proud to be a member of the BISA team and enjoys giving back to the community that provided her so much support.
Meet Sophie at the next Orange Butterfly Walk on Saturday 30 November in the Botanic Gardens and learn about BISA’s Peer Support Program - We would love new members to join us in 2025!
Join Peer Support Program → Link to our website in bio
📣🎄 Be sure to RSVP to our Client Christmas Party, RSVPs close very soon!
Catch-up with our community and celebrate our achievements in 2024 before we welcome in the new year!
🎁🎫 All attendees will receive a goody bag and have the chance to enter our FREE door raffle!
WHEN: Tuesday 10 December from 1.30pm to 3.30pm
WHERE: Fullarton Road Community Centre – 411 Fullarton Road, Fullarton SA 5063
The community centre is located just 5 minutes out from the city, with plenty of parking available 🚗
RSVPs close next Tuesday 3 December – Make sure you don’t miss out!
RSVP now → Link in bio
Did you know that as many as 2 out of 3 people living with brain injury in Australia acquired their injury before the age of 25? 👨👩👨
Many people living with brain injury are supported by family members and/or carers. These carers often need help to access care services to support their loved one living with a brain injury.
The BISA Foundation is raising funds this Christmas to continue running current programs and to provide additional support and events that bring carers together.
💜 Support our families and carers by making a donation today! → Link in bio
Say hello to Lili! 🐶✨
One of our Southern Hub clients, Sam, just welcomed this adorable Pocket American Bully into his home, and we’re lucky enough to share a snapshot of her cuteness! 📸💖
Here at BISA, we pride ourselves on being pet-friendly, and we absolutely love having our furry friends around 🐾
✨ We would like to express a very big thank you to @malcolmharslett for his help in organising fundraising of tickets to ‘Men Who Dance’, with proceeds supporting us at Brain Injury SA!
Our CEO Liz had a fantastic time at the event meeting the talented dancers! 🕺
If you`re hosting an event and would like to help support us through fundraising, we`d love to hear from you! Get in touch with us → BISAmarketing@braininjurysa.org.au
🎄 Preparations are underway for our 2024 BISA Client Christmas Party! Members Nathalie, Maria and Mai-Chi from our City Social Group have been busy creating some dazzling decorations for the occasion!
Let’s get together for an afternoon tea party to celebrate this festive season and our community’s achievements in 2024 🌟
Invitations have been sent to all people who have connected with any BISA service this year – Don’t forget to RSVP to let us know you’re coming along!
RSVP → Link in bio
🏆 Is there a BISA staff member you want to be recognised this year? Have they made your visits brighter or provided great service to you?
Nominate them for the 2024 BISA Customer Service Award!
You could vote for someone from our administration team, someone from our advocacy or appeals team, or even one of our therapists.
Voting closes on Friday 13 December – We would love to hear from you!
🗳️ Vote Now → Link in Bio
🧠 Brain injury can affect us suddenly, and in many cases without warning. Brain Injury may occur from an accident, injury or even because of disease.
No two people living with brain injury are alike - brain injury occurs differently for each individual. Support and care needs also differ and are unique to each person in their journey living with brain injury.
The BISA Foundation is fundraising to help support the carers and families who have a loved one living with brain injury. Your generosity will go towards providing access for these people, who are often forgotten, to support programs, networks, and crucial mental health support and positive outcomes for those supporting someone living with brain injury.
💜 Please make a donation today to help our families get the support they need ⇨ Link in bio
To our BISA Community,
After 45 years in the workforce, some 35 of which have been in leadership positions, I have made the milestone decision to retire at Christmas 2024.
To support BISA have a smooth leadership transition and continue providing the quality services it has become known for, the Board have appointed a transitional CEO who will hold the leadership reins until recruitment of the new CEO can be completed. Tanya Lancaster, a current Board member at BISA, will perform this role, and I will be working closely with her up until our Christmas closure on 20 December to prepare the transition period.
There will be no disruption to the services we normally deliver.
It has been wonderful to have been a part of the BISA community over the last 6 years and overseeing the growth and development of the organisation. I leave behind a strong team of skilled staff who are committed to the needs of the brain injury community.
With thanks,
Liz, CEO
Brain Injury SA
💜 In South Australia, more than 2,500 people acquire their brain injury each year. Each individual has family members who is often an unpaid carer by their side across their journey living with a brain injury.
Family members and carers are not able to access funding to support their health and wellbeing when supporting their loved one living with a brain injury.
To support these families and carers, The BISA Foundation is raising funds and endeavours to roll out support services in 2025.
📣 Donate today and help make a difference to the lives of our carers and family members supporting people living with brain injury! Link in bio.
This week, as part of OT week, we asked our team to share with us what part of being an occupational therapist makes you most proud, and why? And here`s what they had to say!
“I am proud to be an Occupational Therapist to be part of a profession that has continuously sought to understand and address individual needs through understanding individuality itself, including the content and context of a person’s life, and the challenges they face from injury, illness or disability. The creativity this engenders to problem solve, focus on what is important to the person themselves, has made OT continuously evolve and be increasingly valued by the community. It also makes it one of the most difficult of Allied Health professions to undertake and explain.”
"I am proud to be an Occupational Therapist and specifically be part of a profession that works with clients using a person focussed/individualised approach!"
"I am proud to be part of a profession that has moved past its reputation for weaving baskets and stuffing bunnies, to be an evidenced based profession that still allows us to be creative in our approach to working on what is important to the client."
"I am proud to be part of a profession that enables us to support our clients to live fulfilling, safe and meaningful lives, and to have the opportunity to work creatively and problem solve with our clients to help them achieve their goals."
"I am proud to be part of a profession that helps people live their lives to the fullest, in the ways that are important to them!"
Find out more about what the team can support with her!
https://braininjurysa.org.au/services/rewire-therapy-services/occupational-therapy/
#otweek2024
It’s Occupational therapy week, with the peak body for OT celebrating 80 years of connecting OT professionals together. At BISA, we have a team of OT’s that work across each of our sites and play a crucial role in supporting individuals with brain injuries by enhancing their independence and participation in daily activities.
OT’s can assess the individual’s abilities and identify barriers to their independence, such as physical strength, cognitive function, and motivation. OTs then develop personalised strategies to help individuals relearn or adapt tasks, promoting neuroplasticity and recovery.
OTs focus on the whole person, addressing both essential daily tasks and meaningful activities like community involvement and leisure. They provide life skills training, cognitive interventions, and fatigue management, and recommend home modifications and assistive technologies to create a supportive environment. By empowering individuals to regain control over their lives and fulfil various roles, such as family and community participation, OTs significantly contribute to their overall well-being and quality of life.
We currently capacity for OT, offering services within a 2–4-week window. There is a short wait for functional capacity assessments of approximately up to 8 weeks, but you are welcome to start the referral process to join our waitlist to picked up as soon as capacity opens up.
If you’d like to learn more about our OT’s at BISA and how they may support you on your recovery journey, or make a referral for services, please visit us on our website, or phone our team on 08 8217 7600 for support.
https://braininjurysa.org.au/services/rewire-therapy-services/occupational-therapy/
https://braininjurysa.org.au/contact/making-a-referral/referral-form/
